The goals of the MBRS RISE Program at StMU are to 1) increase the number of disadvantaged minority students from StMU who pursue careers in biomedical research at the graduate level or as support personnel 2) increase the number of StMU faculty actively involved in biomedical research on the StMU campus. In order to accomplish these goals the following objectives have been identified. The objectives for goal 1 are to 1) recruit 10 students into a 10-week summer biomedical research program, 2) prepare these students to present their summer research projects, 3) provide workshops to introduce them to fundamental research techniques, 4) have students attend a weekly seminar series, and 5) provide individual counseling to support their interest in a career in biomedical research. The objectives for goal 2 are to 1) renovate existing space and provide small equipment funds to establish a new Faculty/Student Research and Development Laboratory, 2) develop a competitive program to provide faculty with seed money for pilot research projects, and 3) develop a program to provide funds for faculty to receive a travel grant to upgrade or update their research skills. StMU has recognized the importance of the RISE Program by committing funds to offset some of the costs associated with renovating and equipping the research and development laboratory. The objectives will be accomplished through a series of activities and the relative success measured in both quantitative and qualitative terms. It is projected that of the students recruited into the RISE program 2 - 3 per year will transfer into the MARC U STAR Program and eventually apply to graduate programs, while 2 - 3 of the remaining students will pursue careers in biomedical research. On the faculty side it is anticipated that the number of faculty conducting research on campus will increase from 0 to 5 and that the number of publications and grant applications will increase accordingly.